Richard sciiapler



No. 600,692. Patented Sept. l3, mes.

R. SCHAPL'ER. FIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

(Application filed may 1, 1897,) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheat I.

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Nu. 6l0,692. Patent ed Sept. I3, I898. R SGHAPLEB;

FIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

(Applieatim filed m 1 1897.) (No. Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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FIRE-ESCAPETLADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,692, datedSeptember 13, 1898. Ap'olioation filed May 1, 1897. $erial No. 634,759.(No model.)

T 00% whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, RICHARD SOHAPLER, a subject of the Emperor ofGermany, and a resident of Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the King dom ofPrussia, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire- Escape Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a ladder mounted upon a suitable vehicle andwith self-contained means whereby the ladder may be erected, extended,rotated, and adjusted in inclination at will, the means foraccomplishing these various purposes being operated by compressed gas orfluid or by horse-power or by hand.

The invention consistsin certain novel features of constructionhereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation ofthe complete apparatus folded in condition for transportation. Fig. 2 isa View on a smaller scale rep resenting the apparatus in a position oferection and ready to be extended and shifted to different positions foruse. Fig. 3 is a View similar to that shown in Fig. 2, in which theladder is shown extended and slightly inclined. Fig. 4 is a rear View ofthe apparatus, in which the ladder is shown shifted to a position 011one side of the vehicle. Fig. 5 is a detail View, on an enlarged scale,showing the construction of a portion of the pipe system with one of thecontained pistons through which the ladder is extended by compressed gasor fluid and also the rack-and-screw de-l vice through which the laddermay be ex tended by hand. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 5 5, Fig. 5;and Fig. 7 is a detail view of a portion of the hand'elevatingmechanism.

The vehicle comprises a suitable platform 1, with front wheels 2 andrear wheels 3, said vehicle preferably being made with a outunder 4topermit the front axle to turn completely around.

5 is the draft-tongue, secured in clips 6 7 by means of a bolt 8 andadapted to be released by the removal of bolt 8. The tongue carries atits rear end a rope or cable 9, which the pipe-sections may be erectedat will.

is Wound about a Windlass 10, supported beneath the vehicle'by a frame11, and by means of which the tongue is adapted to do certain WOIktO behereinafter referred to, and said tongue hasa Wheel 12 suspendedtherefrom, upon which it may travel when removed from the vehicle. Theclips 6 and 7 are slotted on their lower sides, as shown at 6", in orderthat the rope or cable 9 may drop through the clips as the tongue isdrawn away by the horses in manipulating the apparatus by horse-power,as will be hereinafter described.

The vehicle carries a tower or pressure-receiver 13, surmounted by arevoluble cap or turn-table 14, upon which is pivoted at 15 a carriage16. The carriage 16 has pivoted, to it at 1 7 telescoping pipe-sections1818 18", which carry, respectively, ladder-sections 19, 20,and 21, andthe pipe-sections are telescopic in order that said ladder-sectionsmaybe extended one above the other to form a continuous ladder. i

22 represents a rope or cable connected to the lower or outerpipe-section 18, and this rope is wound upon a drum 23 in order that Tomaintain the efficiency of the pullimparted from the drum 23 through therope or cable 22 to the pipe-sections, I employ a deflectingarm 24:,hinged at 15 and having at its outer end a guide 25, through which therope or cable 22 passes. When the drum 23 is wound, the carriage 16,with the parts carried by it, is moved to an erect position, after whichthe carriage is fixed in said positionby a bolt or pin passed through aneye 26 at'the lower or'rear end of the carriage and an eye 27 on thetower-like receiver 13. The carriage is thus rigidly secured in erectposition; butthe inclination of the pipe-sections, and consequently ofthe ladder-sections, may then be adjusted at ple'asure by unwindingthedrum 23. The drum 23 may be operated either by a hand-crank 28 or bymeans of awindingcord 29, connected at one end to small pulley 30 on theend of shaft 31 of the drum 23, the

other end of which winding cord; passes around a guide-pulley-32 to -apiston-rod 33 of a piston (not seen) in a cylinder 34:, suitably mountedupon and. receiving pressure from the tower-like receiver 13. The drum23, the eye 27, and the cylinder 34 are suseach other.

37 represents an outlet which may be opened after communication betweenthe receiver 13 and cylinder 34 has been cut off and the pressure incylinder 34 therefore allowed to escape and the winding-cord 29 releasedto permit unwinding of drum 23 and the inclination of the pipe-sectionschanged or lowered entirely at will.

In order to provide for operating the wheel 23 by horse-power, I employa winding-drum 38, which will take the winding-cord 29, and the lowerend of the shaft of which windingdrum carries a gear-wheel 39, whichmeshes with the large wheel 40 on the Windlass 10, mounted on the frame11, hereinbefore described. With the parts connected as described a'ndthe bolt 8 removed the horses may be driven off a limited extent toimpart rotation to the Windlass 10, and the operation will follow, asdescribed. Suitable ratchets may be employed for holding the rotatingparts to any position to which they may be adjusted.

Obviously any desired number of telescoping pipe-sections may beemployed. I have shown three pipe-sections, and each of the inner ones18 18 carries a piston 41, which works in the pipe surrounding it. Theresult is that when pressure, either fluid or gas pressure, isintroduced into the lower end of pipesection 18 through a flexible hose42, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the inner pipe-sections 18 18 will besuccessively projected into the position shown in Fig. 3. The parts willremain in this position until the pressure is released, which may beaccomplished by cutting off communication with the receiver at 43 andthen opening an escape-cock 44 at the lower end of the outerpipe-section 18.

As a further means for projecting or extending the ladder eachpipe-section is provided with screw threads 45, which work through adiaphragm 46 on the end of the surrounding pipe-section, which diaphragmalso carries a nut 47, threaded to mesh with the screw-threads 45. Thescrew-threads engage with the diaphragm 46 to prevent rotation of thepipe-section which carries said screw-threads, and the nut engages withsaid diaphragm by a flange 48 to prevent longitudinal displacement ofthe nut. If therefore rotation is imparted to the nut, the pipesectionengaged by said nut'is necessarily forced outward or inward, accordingto the direction of rotation of the nut. To impart such rotation to thenut, I employ a pinion 49, carried upon the end of the shaft 50,which isjournaled at 51 in one of the diaphragms,

andthis shaft is adapted to be rotated by hand through the medium of thebevel crankgear 52, (see Figs. 1 and 7,) meshing with the bevehwheel53,which is keyed upon the shaft 50, or said shaft may be rotated byhorsepower by causing a pinion 54 on the inner end of said shaft,adjacent to the lower end of the outer pipe-section 18, to engage with acorresponding wheel 55 on the platform of the vehicle when the carriageand pipe-sections are brought into erect position and then impartingrotation to the pinion 53 from the Windlass 10 through the medium oflarge wheel 40 and a wheel 56, which meshes with said large wheel 40 andwhich is on the same shaft with the wheel 55.

In order that the shaft 50, with its gearwheel 49, may be made tosuccessively rotate the pinion 47 and the pinion 47, said shaft mayslide longitudinally in the bevel-gear 53 and pinion 54 while beingfixed against relative rotation in said parts, and said shaft carries acylindrical rack 57,which is engaged by a pinion 58, carried on theouter pipe-section and rotated by a crank 59. By this means when theinner section 18 of the pipesections has been extended the pinion 49 maybe shifted through the pinion 58, rack 57, and shaft 50 until saidpinion 49 engages with the lower nut 47 on the outer end of the lower orouter pipe-section, and the second or intermediate pipe-section 18 maythen be extended. The pitch of the screw-threads 45 and of the threadsin the nuts 47 is such that the parts will remain in any position towhich they may be adjusted.

represents a prop or support hinged at 61 to the outer pipe-section andadapted to rest upon the platform of the vehicle when the parts are inposition for transportation.

By employing two different hinging-points 15 and 17 the work is greatlyfacilitated, the stability of the apparatus is increased, and the lengthover all is reduced when the ap paratus is in position fortransportation.

It is not intended that the various devices for operating the apparatusshall be mere alternative appendages, as it may be convenient anddesirable to have in one apparatus a .number of the different means formanipulating. NVhile the fluid or liquid pressure is preferable tohorse-power, it might be necessary to use the apparatus repeatedlywithout' opportunity intervening for renewing pressure within the,receiver 13, and it would then be necessary to use the horse-power.Moreover,while the horse-power is preferable to and quicker thanmanipulation by hand it might be necessary to use the apparatus whenhorse-power is not available, and in that event the hand-power wouldhave to be used.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A fire-escape apparatus comprising a IIS platform, a towerpressure-receiver, a turntable mounted on the tower press urereceiver,

a carriage surmounting the tower pressurereceiver and pivoted to theturn-table, the telescopic pipe-sections mounted on the carriage, theouter pipe-section being pivoted to the carriage, means for oscillatingthe carriage with the pipe-sections, and for oscillating thepipe-sections on the carriage, and a hose connecting the towerpressure-receiver with the telescopic pipesections for erecting thelatter; substantially as described.

2. A fire-escape apparatus comprising a platform, a towerpressure-receiver, a turntable mounted on the tower pressure-receiver, acarriage sin-mounting the tower pressurereceiver and pivoted to theturn-table, the telescopic pipe-sections mounted on the carriage, theouter pipe-section being pivoted to the carriage, means for oscillatingthe carriage with the pipe-sections and for oscillating thepipe-sections on the carriage connected with the towerpressure-receiver, and means for erecting the pipe-sections;substantially as described.

3. A fire-escape apparatus comprising a tower, a turn-table mounted onsaid tower, a carriage pivotally secured to the turn-table, telescopicpipe-sections pivoted to an end of the carriage distant from the pivotof said carriage on the turn-table, and means for erecting the carriageand pipe-sections and for locking the carriage in erected position whilethe pipe-sections are manipulated; substantially as described.

4. A fire-escape apparatus comprisinga tower, a turn-table mounted onthe tower, a carriage surmounting the tower and pivoted to theturn-table, the telescopic pipe-sections, the outer pipe-section beingpivoted to the carriage, the flexible connection for erecting thecarriage with the pipe-sections and the pendent guide secured to thepivot of the carriage for deflecting the flexible connection andmaintaining the direction of pull'at an efficient angle to thepipe-sections; substantially as described.

p 5. A fire-escape apparatus comprising a receiver, the cap rotatablymounted on said receiver, the pipe-sections and means for erecting thepipe-sections, and the hangers and ring suspended from the rotatable capwhereby the erecting means are supported; substantially as described.

6. A fire-escape apparatus comprising a tower pressure-receiver,aturn-table mounted on the tower pressure-receiver, acarriage surmountingthe tower pressure-receiver and pivoted to the turn-table, thetelescopic pipesections mounted on the carriage, the outer pipe-sectionbeing pivoted to the carriage, a drum, a rope or cable connecting thedrum with the pipe-sections, the pulley for turning the drum, thecylinder having connections with the tower pressiu'e-receiver forsupplying pressure to it, a cylinder piston-rod, and a cord connectingthe pulley with the pistonrod; substantially as described.

7. A fire-escape apparatus comprising a platform, a tower, thepipe-sections pivotally mounted on the tower, the winding -drum mountedon the tower, the rope or cable connecting the winding-drum on the towerwith the pipe-sections, the winding-drum mounted on the platform andconnected with the winding-drum 011 the tower, a Windlass having workingconnections with the winding-drum on the platform, and means forhitching a draft-animal to the Windlass; substantially as described.

8. A fire-escape apparatus comprising a platform, a tower, thepipe-sections pivotally mounted on the tower, the Winding-drum mountedon the tower, the rope or cable connecting the drum with thepipe-sections, the windingdrum mounted on the platform. and connectedwith the drum on the tower, a windlass having working connection withthe winding-drum on the platform, the clips secured to the platform, thereleasable tongue mounted in the clips, and the rope or cable connectingthe tongue with the Windlass; substantially as described.

9. The combination of the operating-windlass, the draft-tongue connectedto the rope of said Windlass, and the clips 6 and 7 for receiving thetongue slotted on their under sides to permit the Windlass-rope to dropthrough them as the tongueis removed; substantially as herein explained.

10. The combination of the operating-windlass, the tongue detachablysecured to the vehicle and connected with the rope of said Windlass, andthe ground-wheel 10 carried by the tongue; substantially as hereinexplained.

11. The combination of a platform, a tower, the pipe-sections, the partsto be operated pivoted upon the tower, the Windlass, the gear-wheel onthe platform rotated by said Windlass, and the gear-wheel carried by thepipe-sections and adapted to be brought into engagement with thegear-wheel on the platform by the erection of the pipe-sections;substantially as herein explained.

12. The combination of the telescoping pipe-sections,the screw-threadscarried by the inner sections, the nuts carried by the outer ends of thesections and'engaging the screwthreads, the shaft running longitudinallyof the pipe-sections,means for rotating the shaft, and means forimparting rotary movement from the shaft to the nuts; substantially asdescribed.

13. In combination with the pipe-sections; of an apparatus substantiallyas described, the nuts by which the pipe-sections are extended, theshaft running longitudinally of the pipe-sections and having means forrotating it, a pinion carried by the shaft for imparting movement to thenuts, and means for moving the pinion on the shaft into ening theflexible connection to change the angagement with the nuts successively;snbgle of the pipe-section after the carriage is [O stantially as hereinexplained. fixed; substantially as herein explained.

14:. The combination of a suitable tower,

a carriage hinged upon the the tower, a pipe- RICHARD SOHAPLER' sectionhinged to the earriage,the flexible con- Witnesses:

nection, means for locking the carriage in DEAN l3. MASON,

erected position, and means for nianipulat- JEAN GRUND.

